Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Articulation volume adjustment: accents, etc. (Read 4322 times) previous topic - next topic

Articulation volume adjustment: accents, etc.

Hi
I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I am really unhappy with how ENTHUSIASTICALLY my accents are being played back by NWC. So  much so that I have had to take them out of the score, which is not actually what I want. I think I read that they are being played at 40% velocity, but I'm sure what that means and how to tame them so they give a reasonable amount of "oomph" but don't make the listener jump.

I guess the same issue is possibly true of other articulations? Any pianists out there? What's the most artistic use of tenuto, levels of staccato, portato, accent, etc?

Thanks for your help,
 

Re: Articulation volume adjustment: accents, etc.

Reply #2 –
I'm not sure if what I am about to say makes sense, but I'm going to offer a possible solution, that people who know more about virtual synths than I do can tell me if it would work.

Is it possible to customize an instrument so that it responds more or less to note velocity? It seems to me that this should be possible, since when I am playing different pianos on my Yamaha keyboard, it feels that some of them have different touch sensitivity. Some, like Fender Rhodes, change the tone of the note dramatically when you use more velocity.  Anyway, if this is possible, then it might be possible to use a piano sound that is less velocity sensitive as a work-around to NWC being unable to customize the behavior of articulations.

Personally, I would very much like the ability to customize the multipliers used for the various articulations (velocity and duration), in the same way that dynamic multipliers can be customized in instrument settings.

Re: Articulation volume adjustment: accents, etc.

Reply #3 –
Quote from: Mike Shawaluk –
Personally, I would very much like the ability to customize the multipliers used for the various articulations (velocity and duration), in the same way that dynamic multipliers can be customized in instrument settings.
I'm not sure if what I am about to say makes sense, but could that maybe be done with a user object?
Always look on the bright side of life!

Re: Articulation volume adjustment: accents, etc.

Reply #4 –
Quote from: Opagust –
I'm not sure if what I am about to say makes sense, but could that maybe be done with a user object?
Don't think I haven't thought about it :)  I think it would be beyond the scope of a user object to be able to "take over" the playback of all notes, trying to establish its own interpretation of performance styles, articulations, etc.  It seems more likely that a future version of NWC could include something to allow this.

Re: Articulation volume adjustment: accents, etc.

Reply #5 –
Quote from: Mike Shawaluk –
<snip>
It seems more likely that a future version of NWC could include something to allow this.
Given how quiet things have been on that front, do you think there's much likelihood of a new version any time soon?  As far as I can see, the last update to 2.75 was 3rd quarter 2017.
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: Articulation volume adjustment: accents, etc.

Reply #6 –
Quote from: Lawrie Pardy –
Given how quiet things have been on that front, do you think there's much likelihood of a new version any time soon?  As far as I can see, the last update to 2.75 was 3rd quarter 2017.
Wondering the same thing, and have been for a while. I've had to move to Sibelius for final drafts, as standards have improved to the point where performers were beginning to complain about my scores. Still do the first drafts of everything in NWC, because it's so intuitive - closer to pencil and score paper than anything else out there. But the quality of the output has definitely lagged way behind the rest of the field.

Re: Articulation volume adjustment: accents, etc.

Reply #7 –
My Yamaha keyboard allows me to choose the touch (velocity) response I prefer for each voice.
But also: my Yamaha keyboard has a dynamic curve completely different from many other keyboards, not to say virtual synths.
In a nutshell: there is no standard for the dynamics!

Regarding NWC: since the development has suddenly stopped years ago with a beta version, at this point I believe we must do with what we have, as long as Microsoft allows it   :'( , then... bye bye.
I'm thinking to evaluate MuseScore. Someone has tried it?

Re: Articulation volume adjustment: accents, etc.

Reply #8 –
"Regarding NWC: since the development has suddenly stopped years ago with a beta version, at this point I believe we must do with what we have, as long as Microsoft allows it   :'( , then... bye bye.
I'm thinking to evaluate MuseScore. Someone has tried it?"

I've used MuseScore some - it's not bad, really. I do like that it exports directly to mp3, and the printed output is fine.
There's a new version just announced with a new font that's supposed to make the printed output quite a bit better than it has been, but I've not upgraded yet.

Charlie

Re: Articulation volume adjustment: accents, etc.

Reply #9 –
Quote from: William Ashworth –
<snip>
I've had to move to Sibelius for final drafts, as standards have improved to the point where performers were beginning to complain about my scores.
<snip>
Hey William, I find this fascinating...  I play in quite a number of ensembles; concert bands, big bands, small jazz ensemble, brass band and pit orchestras.  One thing I've consistently found is that the scores vary from absolute crap (visually) to very easy to read.  The only ones people seem to complain about are the ones that are somehow virtually illegible: too small, too squashed, bits missing, inconsistent bar numbers/rehearsal marks, archaic symbology etc.. Never because there's some small engraving difference between this or that score that are otherwise completely legible.

Do you perhaps produce for some really, really picky people?
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: Articulation volume adjustment: accents, etc.

Reply #10 –
Quote from: Lawrie Pardy –
Do you perhaps produce for some really, really picky people?
Yup. I write chamber music primarily, usually for mixed ensemble. Most players accept NWC scores without complaint. But I have a pianist who objects to pedal markings without the line, and I've not found the user object to create these satisfactory. And there are a couple who've complained about the 8va lines produced by the Mike's octavamatic object. Also, my scores are often submitted to contests - I've been a finalist for the American Prize - and although I've never actually had a piece rejected for the quality of the engraving, I'm more and more uncomfortable with the possibility that this could happen. I'm in the "music engraving tips" Facebook group, and I know how picky professional engravers can get.